A Little Luck
by Kaiisan
Summary: Rinslet's never had good luck on Valentine's Day. Can Zoro change it this year? ZoroXOc Extremely Late but oh well. T for swearing and beating up baddies.


**So, this was originally for Valentine's Day, but I was late as usual ^^;**

**I STARTED it on , so I guess it counts.**

**ZoroXOc Love~!**

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><p>"UGH!"<p>

Slam.

The crew blinked in surprised as Rinslet dropped her head on the table moaning pitifully under her breath.

"Dare I ask what's wrong?" Nami whispered to Usopp. He shook his head violently.

Eve wandered in and sat down next to her friend and patted her head.

"Today's 14th, that's all." she announced cheerfully. Rinslet moaned again.

"Don't remind me!"

"Cheer up!"

"How can I, I'm Forever Alone.."

"Huh?" Nami looked surprised.

"Well, you know that today's Valentine's Day?" Eve recieved a few nods. "Well, for as long as I've known her, Rinslet always has the worst luck on that day, even worse than Friday the 13th kind of bad luck."

"It can't be that bad," Zoro snorted, gulping sake.

"Really? Well, the first Valentine's Day after I met her, we had sports in school, and the teacher made us have showers afterwards. Only thing is, one of the meaner girls stole Rinslet's uniform." Eve snorted, then squeaked as Rinslet punched her arm.

"And what's so bad about that?" Nami asked.

"She wasn't allowed to stay in the changing rooms because they had to be locked...so they made her walk all the way across the school grounds to the headteacher's office...in just her towel." Eye's widened. "That's not all. Halfway there, it started to rain...Rinslet's towel started going transparent."

Jaws dropped as Sanji collapsed on the floor with a nosebleed. Chopper snapped out of it and tended to him as usual.

"The year after, I dared her to give her best guy friend Charly a Valentine's card in person, so she did. A couple of girls found her a few minutes later and roughed her up. Back then, she wasn't really strong at all. They got her pretty badly and left her where the staff usually take out the trash."

Rinslet's whole face was red by this time, and it matched her hair.

"Can you stop explaining why my life is horrible?" she growled.

"Nope~" Eve giggled happily as she continued to pat Rin's head. Rinslet moaned again and dropped her head in her arms.

"After that she started taking self-defense lessons and everything. By the time the next V-Day got around, she was really tough and became confident again. To the point where her boyfriend of three months broke up with her on that day because he was scared of her."

Nami, Robin and Eve colectively 'aww'd poor Rinslet, and, in a state of livid fury and embarassment, she shrieked: "FOR FUDGE SAKE I DON'T WANT YOUR FRIGGIN PITY!" and ran out of the room, leaving the girls to chuckle at her.

"Now that I think about it, whenever we've talked about the 14th, I don't ever recall her having even a normal day. It's like that day hates her and puts her in a bad mood." Eve pondered aloud.

Everyone froze. Rinslet; in a bad mood; ALL DAY? They were doomed!

* * *

><p>After breakfast the crew decided just to give Rinslet some space and hope that destructive tendancies remained low. The only one who dared to appraoch her was Eve, seeing as she's handled it before.<p>

At noon, Rinslet left her room, dressed in a plain black tank, her oversized red sweater that had dark red and black skulls and other punkish designs stitched around it, a plain, black silk skirt with a rhinestone skull-and-crossbones design over the left leg that ended mid thigh, skin-tone tights for warmth - seeing as its still winter - and shin-high, black winter boots. She was wrapping a black and white checkered scarf around her neck as she walked down the gangplank.

"Goin' in town," she called as she left.

The crew looked troubled. "Do you think something's gonna happen to her?" Usopp whispered. He and Chopper glanced at each other and the rapidly disappearing back of Rinslet.

"I dunno." Eve shrugged, looking a little troubled.

Zoro scowled, not liking the thought of his nakama in possible trouble, so when nobody was looking he jumped off the deck and went to look for her.

* * *

><p>Zoro was lost. Again.<p>

He wandered around the relatively peaceful town, a bottle of sake in his hand. There was partying everywhere and a bunch of chocolate being handed out. He scowled.

'I've never been given chocolate on Valentines' he thought jealously, taking a swig of his drink.

"Ah, please let me go past." Suddenly, a familiar voice reached his ears. He turned around, eventually finding the red-headed 'Zombie' surrounded by a couple of very tall, bulky men.

Zoro's scowl deepened, ready to jump in and help his nakama if she needed it.

"Why, sweetie? I think you should hang with us for a bit." The biggest one grinned, revealing missing teeth.

Another put his hand on her shoulder and leered. "You're very purdy, be my Valentine."

"No, be mine!"

"No thanks, I have someone in mind." Rinslet's cheeks reddened a little as she tucked a box under her arm. Zoro's eye widened as he recognised the hearts pattern on it to be a Valentine's Special of Alcoholic Chocolates.

"Well, looky here, my favourite." Muscle Man pulled the box out of her grasp.

"Oi you bastard! They ain't yours!" Rinslet growled, reaching into her pocket to slip on her metal handbraces.

"Hey, Freddy, Joe, getta hold of her and take her to HQ. I reckon I like the feisty ones." Muscle Man's two friends turned on her instantly.

Rinslet, however was ready, and she landed one nasty, iron-enhanced sucker punch on 'Freddy' before he could grab her. Joe came up from behind and she lashed out with a kick that'd make Sanji swoon. The only problem was, his torso was solid muscle and she winced as she felt her ankle twist just from impact, though she managed to force him back a few steps. Setting her foot back down awkwardly, she blocked an on-coming punch from Freddy and swung him into Joe's path. She then kicked up with her other foot, meaning to force both of them back but she'd put too much momentum into it and it left her unbalanced, and with a curse she fell right within Freddy's reach. The guy didn't waste the opportunity and took hold of her arm and twisted it behind her, making her cry out and fall onto her bad ankle.

Zoro's murderous intent rose.

"Feisty, but not much of a fighter, are we?" Joe sneered, making Rinslet wince. That was a low blow; the girl knew she was a weak fighter, dammit, no need to degrade her when she's working hard to change that!

He was surprised though, when Rinslet lifted her head up and faced the thug. Her eyes were full of tears from the pain her arm was in, but she still smirked and spat in his face.

"I ain't much a fighter, that be true." Rinslet growled, and then suddenly she was flipping Freddy over her shoulder with the very arm he'd been trying to hold back. "But I c'n bloodeh well try!"

Freddy's torso crashed into Joe and while they were distracted, she took a moment to grab a breather, before running towards Muscle Man who'd started walking off with her chocolates.

Big. Mistake.

"Ain't-"

Muscle Man paused.

"Nobody-"

He turned a little.

"Dare-"

His eyes widened as the blood-haired devil neared.

"Steal-"

Rinslet launched herself in the air.

"MY **FUCKING **CHOCOLATE!"

With a mighty roar, Rinslet sank her foot into his jaw, sending him crashing into the wall next to Zoro.

Rinslet dropped gracefully onto her feet, staggered, then fell to her knees in the middle of the road, recieving a round of applause from the bystanders who saw the whole thing.

Zoro whistled, 'accidently' stepping on the guy's hand to get him to release the chocolate box. He dusted the box off and made his way over to Rinslet, who was wiping her eyes free of tears and grinning.

"You see that Zoro? I did it! I finally beat someone!" Zoro couldn't help but smile at the exstatic girl. True, those guys weren't that tough at all and Zoro himself could've handled them all in ten seconds flat, but it was a massive acievement for her.

"You sure kicked ass. Looks like you learned something from me after all." he smirked.

"Jerk! I won that fight all by myself!"

"Sure sure, whatever. You want a hand up?"

Rinslet scowled playfully but offered her uninjured hand none the less. Zoro pulled her up with ease and took notice of her bad ankle.

"Here." He held out the chocolate box. It was a little dusty, but the small pink square was undamaged. "You wanted to give these to someone, right?" At this, the girl blushed.

"Um, actually...keep them." Zoro looked up at her in surprise. He hated to admit it, but despite having dirt on her face and clothes from the brawl and her hair in a mess, she looked rather cute with that blush on her face. "They're for you anyways."

"Wha-? Me?" Zoro couldn't help but blink in shock.

"Yeah you, doofus. Happy Valentine's Day." Rinslet gave him her special smiles, the one she reserved for him only. Time seemed to slow down and all Zoro could do was stare at her with a tiny smile on his face.

An elderly woman scuffled past.

"Ah, young love. Young man, don't just leave this lady hanging, or else you're chance'll be gone and so will she!"

Zoro, surprisingly, blushed. "Er, well..."

Rinslet giggled. "You don't have to say anything if you don't have anything to say." He could've sworn he saw a little sadness in her eyes, but it was soon gone. She turned and started limping off to the ship.

The old lady whacked him with her walking stick.

"The hell are you doing, young man? You just missed your chance!"

"Sor-ry, lady. Am I not allowed to be surprised?" Zoro muttered, keeping his gaze on his crewmate as she stumbled once.

"Well, get over it. At least carry her back, she's hurt!"

"Yeah yeah, if she even lets me, that is..." Zoro left the old lady there and jogged up to his nakama, careful not to drop the chocolate box.

"Hold this." He shoved the box into her hands.

"Zoro? Wha- OI! PUT ME DOWN YOU STEROID ABUSER!"

"For the last time, what the hell are steroids? And no, you're hurt so I'm gonna take you to Chopper."

"Steroids are another story. Put me down!"

"Yeahno."

"You stole that saying from me. I ban you from using it!"

"Fine with me."

Rinslet was silent at this. She was currently being carried bridal style in his arms, the box she'd bought for him on her lap. Her eye's gleamed suddenly and she opened the package.

"Oi, those are mine."

"One, I bought them with my money so they're part mine too. Two, shut up and open wide."

He was about to retort that that made no sense whatsoever, when she popped a heart-shaped chocolate into his mouth, effectively silencing him.

"Nom-licious?" she grinned. Zoro could only nod, dazed, as the silky mix of chocolate and rum filled his tastebuds. Rinslet giggled a snuck a small one for herself..

By the time she managed to guide them both home, she was giggly from a Sugar-High and slightly tipsy from the rum.

Just before the were in sight of the ship, she pinced the back of his neck, making him loose grip on her out of reflex. Luckily she was prepared and landed half-painfully but okay. She glared at the box. There was only one chocolate heart left.

"You have it," Zoro grunted, knowing that she wanted it.

Imagine his surprise when she put half of it in his mouth, then pulled his shirt down far enough for her to tilt her head up and kiss him on the lips whilst breaking the chocolate in half. She broke the kiss after a moment of him not reacting, ate the chocolate and gave him a look; like she thought he hadn't wanted that to happen. It made his heart ache.

"Ah. Er..sorry, kinda. I won't do it again. Night, Zoro." With that, she turned and limped up to the Merry with surprising speed, leaving him muttering: "No, wait..." to the wind.

By the time he cleared his thoughts and returned on ship everyone was crowded around the grinning girl and congratulating her for winning her first fight without any outside help at all.

Their eyes met breifly and Rinslet was the first to look away.

_Damn, I fucked up._

* * *

><p>It was near midnight, and Zoro knew it was Rinslet's turn on watch. Unable to sleep due to his mind wandering over earlier, he brushed a finger lightly over his lips again. Despite tasting mainly of rum and chocolate, she tasted...citrus-y? Like she had drank lemonade just beforehand. His lips still tingled.<p>

"Fuck," he breathed, covering his eyes in the crook of one arm with the other still at the corner of his mouth.

She was gentle, but expierenced. She knew just what she was doing; she'd kissed before definitely, he thought.

Growling under his breath, he got up quietly and went outside.

Looking up at the crow's nest, he could she her sitting against the railing with one leg tucked under the other as it dangled off the edge, a firm grip on the railing stopping her in case she fell.

She was just gazing out into the distance, looking but not seeing. It was almost too easy to sneak up to her.

"Hey," he murmured, standing a couple steps behind her. He saw her form tense and she stood quickly, turning to face him and lean against the railing.

"Uhh..." Rinslet couldn't form a word to say, so she turned a little to look away.

"Can...we talk?" suddenly nervous, Zoro swallowed back his troubles.

Rinslet nodded, still not looking at him. He saw her shiver and that did it.

"Thanks for the chocolate," he grabbed her by her shoulders and pulled her to him. Rinslet let out a gasp, her arms trapped between herself and his toned and muscled body which was thinly covered by a white tank top. She relaxed into his natural body heat and with one hand clutched his shirt, burying her face in it. His arms were completely wrapped around her.

"Z-Zoro?" Rinslet whispered.

"You surprised me." Zoro told her, glad his face was hidden in her wine red hair. "I was surprised, I didn't know how to react." He pulled her away so that she could meet his eyes, though he blushed suddenly and rubbed the back of his neck; now refusing to meet her curious gaze. "W-well, y'see..that was the first time I've..y'know, kissed."

Rinslet's eyes widened.

He leaned his forhead against hers and her cheeks tinted pink as Zoro started to hum, and then sing.

_"I've been beaten down, I've been kicked around, _

_But she takes it all for me. _

_And I lost my faith, in my darkest days, _

_But she makes me want to believe. _

_They call her love, love, love, love, love. _

_They call her love, love, love, love, love. _

_She is love, and she is all I need. _

_She's all I need."_

Cupping her face, Zoro leaned down and gave her a kiss of his own. It was stiff and a little awkward, but he could feel her smile against his lips.

They broke apart and a chuckle escaped Zoro's lips.

"So I was right, you do taste of lemonade." he grinned. Rinslet blushed and scowled playfully.

"And I suppose you'd _love_ for everyone to know that you sing," Rinslet teased. Zoro grunted, ears turning red.

"You tell anyone that I sing for you and I swear-"

Rinslet pecked him on the lips to shut him up.

"As if I would," Rinslet smiled whole-heartedly. "I love being the only one that knows that part of you, Zoro." She paused.

"...I love you, Zoro."

His eyes widened as she gazed back at him with determination lighting hers.

"...Yeah, love you too."

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><p><strong>The song Zoro sings it "She is Love" by Parachute ^^<strong>

**And yes, I imagine Zoro having an amazing singing voice that he keeps a secret from everyone. :)**


End file.
